Guidebook to

Alternate Reality

The City

Written by
Kathi B. Tremblay


ALTERNATE REALITY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK
OF PARADISE PROGRAMING, INC.
(c) 1985, 1986 INTELLICREATIONS, INC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRINTED IN USA


Welcome to The City of Xebec's Demise. Read this Guidebook before entering. It gives you important information for survival. The separate Reference Card gives specifiv instructions for using your computer to enter Alternate Reality.

A map of The City is included in your package. The Floating Gate, in the centre of the map, is surrounded by Granite Bank, Best Bargain Store, Best Armorers, and Tail of the Dog Tavern. Use this base to explore the rest of The City.

There are many establishments in The City. This list will help you in your travels. Inns: 7; Taverns: 14; Banks 3; Shops 15; Smithies: 4; Healers: 2; Guilds: 12 (you can't join Guilds, but they're useful in other ways).

In addition to the game, you need a blank, formatted disk to use as a Character Disk. Without a Character Disk, you can't save a game. Refer to you computer user's guide for instructions on formatting a disk. Be sure to format the Character Disk on the drive you'll be using in the game.

Note: Never play with a different Disk 2 (Side 2, on the Apple) than the one you use to create a character. If you create a character using your backup of Disk 2, always use the backup disk when playing with that character. If you use the original game Disk 2 when creating the character, always use the original game Disk 2 to play with that character.

Please fill out and return the enclosed Datasoft Product Registration Card. This automatically enrolls you in our Alternate Reality Players' Club.

If your disks are accidentally damaged or destroyed, you can get backup copies for $15. Send the damaged disk, proof of purchase (box or receipt), and a check or money order to:

DATASOFT CUSTOMER SERVICE
Dept. B
19809 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91211-9969


You're kidnapped by an alien spaceship and find yourself in a room with only one exit. Through this dorrway you see The City of Xebec's Demise. An energy field moves across the opening. Overhead is a panel with constantly changing numbers. As you go through the door, the numbers freeze. This sets you levels of Stamina, Charm, Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Skill, Wealth, and Hit Points. The higher these Stats, the better your chances are in The City. You decide whether you're Good or Evil.
During the first few days, you're extremely vulnerable to foul play. The safest area of The City is near the Floating Gate. Of course, safety isn't your only consideration; there are benefits to discover in the more dangerous locales. But keep a low profile until you're familiar with The City. And avoid Encounters with life forms that are obviously superior (don't tease a Wizard for example!).
Have enough sense to come in out of the rain! Bad characters like bad weather. It's also dangerous to be out at night. Find an Inn and check in before sundown. A good night's sleep does wonders for your Stamina and restores Hit Points.
Keep an eye on your Stats. You can become hungry, thirsty, or tired. Find a Tavern for food and drink, an Inn for rest. You have a little money; use it wisely. A compass, availible in most Shops, is a wise investment. It's helpful to remember that the inventories in Shops and Smithies change daily.
The values at the top of the screen help you decide what action to take. Increasin these levels is important to achieving your goals. Good Stamina is useful in surviving hardships. Charming an opponent, naturally, requires Charm (charisma). Strength gives you an advantage in a fight; Skill helps you avoid blows from an adversary. Intelligence is crucial for tricking your enemies, Wisdom for making decisions. Hit Points are very important: the more you have, the harder you are to kill!
You are closely monitored! Don't think the Stats at the top of the screen make up the whole. Many things, including your personality, are constantly taken into account by the computer. To achieve your goals, be yourself!

Secret Passages There are many Secret Doors and One-Way Walls in The City. A Secret Door looks like a wall, but you can walk right through it (accompanied by a whooshing noise and an odd melody). One-Way Walls are invisible on one side. You can pass through the invisible side, but not the visible one.

Inns offer lodging for a price. They're also Time and Date information centres.

Taverns sell food and drink and offer entertainment. The menus change hourly. Often, the songs sung in a Tavern give you important clues.

Alcohol Taverns serve alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is also an ingredient in many Potions. Drink in moderation. If you're drunk, movement is hampered, manipulating screens is difficult, and you may even experience blackouts. Find an Inn and sleep it off.

Smithies As you approach a Smithy, you may hear the Smith hammering away on his anvil. New Weapons purchased at a Smithy are never Cursed. But prices (and quality) vary greatly; bartering is essential. When buying a Weapon, remember that each has unique characteristics. For example, a Longsword is a better offensice Weapon than a regular Sword; but the regular Sword is a better defensive Weapon.

Banks offer investment plans for your money. The higher the interest rates, the greater the risk. They sometimes offer money for gems and jewelry. Banks have regular hours; you can't do business in the middle of the night!

Shops offer a variety of wares, usually ornamental. If you become wealthy, you may want to deck yourself out according to your station.

Healers There are Places of Healing in The City. Like vlinivs everywhere, a fee is charged for services. There are some effects of Disease or Poison that don't show up right away, so don't wait! If you're wounded, ill, or poisoned, see a Healer as soon as possible.

Guilds Guilds are very particular about accepting new pledges, so don't expect to be welcomed as a member on your first visit. However, even a first visit is rewarded with Character-enhancing knowledge. And, for a fee, any Guild will help you get rid of a Cursed Weapon.

Treasure takes many forms: Jewelry, Weapons, Armor, Potions, Money, and other special items. All treasure, except gold, silver, and copper, is potentially Magical or Cursed. Pick something up to discover its unique properties. Magical items are valuable; Cursed items can be a source of great dispair.

Gems and Jewelry are obtained after Encounters or found in Treasure. Take them to a Bank for appraisal and sell them. Appraisals vary from Bank to Bank.

Weapons are necessary for survival. Even if you abhor violence, you need a Weapon for self-defence. Some creatures in The City will attack you, no matter how nice you are, and bare hands are rarely useful.
There are three ways to acquire Weapons:

  1. Finding them after an Encounter
  2. Finding them after uncovering a Treasure
  3. Buying them from a Smithy

Always Examine a Weapon carefully before picking it up. The more Intelligent you are, the easier it is for you to tell if it's Magical or Mundane (normal). Magical means it has special properties: it's very valuable or it's Cursed. Onve you Pick up a Cursed Weapon, you can't Drop it; you need help to get rid of it. Pick up any Weapon you find as a Secondary Weapon. This way, if it's Cursed, you aren't stuck with it as a Primary Weapon while you travel to a Guild for help. Note: A Shield should always be used as a Secondary Weapon.
If you find a Weapon you want while carrying the maximum load, Drop one of the Weapons you already have to Pick it up. A Weapon must be Ready as either Primary or Secondary Weapon in order to be dropped. Follow the prompts.

Potions Some Potions are beneficial in advancing you Character. When you find a Potion, decide wether to Keep it, Leave it, or Use it. Once you Open a Potion, Examine or Use it right away. The Potion deteriorates once the seal on the container is broken. Examine a Potion for colour. To find out more, Sip or Taste it. Each Sip or Taste tells you a little more about the Potion. Many Potions are unstable and disappear during examination. To save a Potion for later, don't Open until you're ready to Use it.
There are four major categories of Potions:
Poison in your system usually causes death. When poisoned, you sustain initial Hit Point and neurogical damage in line with the strength of the Poison. If you're lucky enough to find a Potion that cures Poison, drink it. Otherwise, find a Healer right away.
There are four ways you can be Poisoned:
  1. Swallowing poisonous Potions
  2. Being clawed by a poisonous creature during an Encounter
  3. Being bitten by a poisonous creature during an Encounter
  4. Being hit by a poisonous tail during an Encounter

Disease, untreated, causes death. Contracting a Disease results in Hit Point and neurogical damage in line with the severity of the infection. If you get a Disease, drink a Potion that Cleases or seek out a Healer. If you're clawed or bitten in an Encounter, find a Healerto prevent possible infection.
There are three ways to contract Disease:
  1. Contact with bacterial spores from Mold and Slime
  2. Being clawed by a diseased creature
  3. Being bitten by a diseased creature

Encounters with being in the City are common. The five categories of Encounters are listed below in the order most favourable to you.
  1. You Suprise a life form
  2. You Notice a life form (before it sees you)
  3. You See a life form at the same time it sees you
  4. A life form Notices you first
  5. You are Suprised by a life form

In an Encounter, you are either Engaged or Disengaged. There are separate menus for each of these options.

Engaged means you must battle the life form or try to become Disengaged:
Disengaged lets you deal with your opponent in a less violent manner:
Some options are found in either menu:
Tailor your Encounter strategy to fit you condition and the kind of life form confronting you. It's easier to Trick a Warrior than a Master Thief. Don't expect to Charm or Trick mindless life forms; you'd look pretty silly trying to Charm Mold!

Life Forms There are many life forma in The City:

The Poor are humanoids who have no amition or have met with some catastrophe that has put them in dire straits.

Commoner These are individuals with no special skills or distinctions.

Merchant You usually see these capitalist types on their way to or from wheeling-and-dealing. They work hard to keep The City's economy healthy.

Couriers There's no telephone or telegraph, so Couriers are necessary for delivering messages as well as parcels.

Guard Most Guards are employed by the nobility. They're The City's policemen.

Gladiators are proven fighters from the Arena Games.

Noblemen are rich and powerful. They live in the Palace and are fond of Games in the Arena. When out in public, they're attended by their private Guards.

Dwarf Short (4 feet tall) and stocky (150 pounds), Dwarves are interesting characters. They're resistant to many Poisons and Magic Spells, have excellent night vision, and are terrific close combat fighters.

Mages, Wizards and other magical types dwell in The City. Most are associated with Guilds or other learning institutions.

Thief There are many Thieves in The City, each with his own criminal specialty.

Assassin Hired killers strike swiftly, without warning.

Imp Short (2 feet), devilish fire-breathers, Imps have long, dagger-like, poisonous tails. Avoid them!

Night Stalker Legendary creature of the night. An extremely powerful beast that no one can be certain doesn't exist.

Others There are many other creatures, mostly evil, in The City. You must be constantly vigilant.


Coming Soon in the Alternate Reality
Series from Datasoft!

The Dungeon is a world shrouded in mystery. This subterranean realm feeds off your terror and serves it back to you. Rich treasure and exciting adventure await you beneath The City. Are you strong enough to take the risk?

When The Dungeon is conquered, you're ready for the challenge of The Arena. For the first time, you see and control yourself in actual combat. If you survive your first contest, you have the privilege of mingling with the martial arts scholars who live in The Arena.

The Palace brings you to the pinnacle of life in The City. The Castle and other upperclass establishments are now open to you. You may buy property in The City and have a home to return to at night. Your social standing continues to grow, your knowledge and strength increase, until you are ready to travel into the world beyond The City.

The Wilderness takes you beyond the gates of The City and leads to the mountains that have tantalized you ever since your arrival. You travel over hot deserts, through think forests, perhaps even over water, until you reach the rocky goal. You cannot climb the mountains, but there is a way in.

Revelation beings where The Wilderness ends. The answers to all your questions about Alternate Reality are now revealed. You make startling discoveries and prepare yourself for the final step.

Destiny is the last episode in the adventure. Here you must make the ultimate moral decision: Return to Earth or seek revenge on your kidnappers.

These Alternate Reality episodes will be availible for Atari, Appel II series, Commodore 64/128, IBM PC/PCjr, Amiga, Atari ST, and Machintosh computers.